Upon the meeting of the Holy Synod at Patriarch Headquarters in Abba Ruis today at 11 AM with the general congregation council and Coptic Awqaf committee, 4 statements were issued about choosing the surrogate of the Pope and nominating for the office of the Pope.
The Holy Synod decided to choose Abba Pachomius, Bishop of Behira to be the surrogate of the Pope after the departure of his holiness Pope Shenouda III. They acknowledged their commitment for the register of electing the Patriarch issued on November 2nd, 1957 and the law number 20 of year 1971 on the election of the Patriarch.
They decided to begin accepting the nomination papers after the prayers of the Fortieth day for the departure of his holiness Pope Shenouda III, which will be in Cairo on Wednesday, April 25th and at St. Beshoy monastery on Thursday, April 26th. Accepting the papers will last for 20 days, and the Nominating Committee should be chosen during one month of the departure of the Pope by the Holy Synod.
Bishop Pachomius was chosen to be the spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Holy Synod.
Bishop Bishoy, Secretary of the Holy Synod said that the next meeting of the Synod is going to be held next Tuesday at 11 AM at the Patriarchate.
